THE HAGUE--The governing liberal democratic VVD party and the opposition Socialist Party on Friday demanded clarity from the Dutch Government about the rejection of St. Maarten's adapted 2011 budget.
Members of Parliament Andr� Bosman (VVD) and Ronald van Raak (SP) both sent a series of questions to Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Piet Hein Donner seeking clarity on another rejection of St. Maarten's budget by the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT.
Bosman and Van Raak wanted to know what actions the Minister intended to take to ensure that the budget would be balanced. The CFT has requested the Kingdom Council of Ministers, by means of a special instruction to enable Minister Donner to execute the proposed policy regulations. This instruction is defined in the Law for Financial Supervision. This law, applicable to countries Cura�ao and St. Maarten, aims to achieve sound financial management in the new countries, preventing them from building up new debts.
Bosman wanted to know how the Minister intended to give content to the request to determine policy regulations as part of the package of measures to balance St. Maarten's 2011 budget. Also he asked whether the package of measures would serve as a good preparation for and the execution of the 2012 budget.
Both Bosman and Van Raak were critical about the statements of St. Maarten's Finance Minister Hiro Shigemoto in Friday's edition of The Daily Herald in response to the press release issued by the CFT on Thursday.
The MPs asked Minister Donner whether he agreed with Shigemoto that St. Maarten should not be subjected to financial supervision when the island hadn't optimally profited from the 1.5 billion euro debt reorganisation paid by the Netherlands. Bosman wanted to know specifically how much money went to St. Maarten as part of the debt reorganisation.
Bosman asked Donner to share his view on Shigemoto's announcement that he would "seek solutions" to increase the amount for the budget from NAf. 416 to NAf. 461 million. "Do you share the view of the CFT that NAf. 461 million is irresponsible because the amount is based on over-ambitious growth models for St. Maarten's economy?" he asked.
Bosman shared CFT's view that it was irresponsible to take up excessive revenues in the budget and to use financial reserves without knowing the extent of these reserves. He asked Donner whether he agreed with this. Bosman inquired if this was a case of bad governance.
Van Raak criticised the fact that, contrary to all agreements between the island and the Netherlands, St. Maarten still hadn't managed to present a balanced budget. "Why can't St. Maarten's government manage to present acceptable figures to the CFT? Do you suspect that this is bad will?"
Van Raak wanted to know if Minister Donner would allow St. Maarten to borrow money on the capital market "and create debts again." The MP further sought clarity on St. Maarten's protest against the participation of CFT's advisory member Max Pandt in a meeting with St. Maarten. "Why do you consider it acceptable that St. Maarten decides who the advisors of the CFT are?" He asked Donner. Lastly, Van Raak wanted to know why St. Maarten didn't have a representative in the CFT.
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